TOEFL iBT - Primary Skills

To get a high score on the TOEFL, you need to master a number of overlapping language and academic skills. We have divided them here into primary, secondary and support skills.

The primary skills correspond with the main sections of the TOEFL iBT exam - reading, listening, speaking and writing. These are also the main linguistic skills important for effective communication, especially in an academic setting.

The unique feature of the TOEFL iBT is that the primary skills are tested through independent as well as integrated questions, to simulate the way English is used in real life.

The chart below explains where you will encounter such questions on the exam.

Primary Skills for the TOEFL

Skill

Independent Questions

Integrated Questions

Reading

Yes

No

Listening

Yes

No

Speaking

Yes

Yes

Writing

Yes

Yes

For effective strategies you can use to develop each of the primary skills, continue here: